HOW TO : all about Ninja take off !

The Take-Off is the hardest feat when starting out Surfing, and it is also the most essential. The quality of your Take-Off will determine the quality of your performance on the wave. 1) Choosing the ‘Right’ Wave :
Concentrate on yourself within the Line-Up. The horizon itself will give you a ton of info about the incoming set that is on the way (form changes, water color, shadows).
Understand the current & the wind. Integrate the repetitiveness of the swell in order to predict the future. Add the other Surfers into your strategy so nothing is ruined and you don’t interfere.
Taking the time to observe will give you an experience to have the best positioning for your Take-Off. 2) Paddle efficiently : A well executed Take-Off starts with efficient Paddling. Paddling will help you to integrate into the rhythm of the wave. This speed is the basis of what you need when surfing.
A good idea of doing it right is seeing the nose cut through the water and arms that burn. 3) Arch like a bow : If you’re paddling slow there is no reason to go to the pool and get pumped. Keep those legs together!! Anyone lagging behind has their legs apart and their chest stuck to the Wax ;-)!!
Start by tightening up those thighs, push your feet together. You’ll find your spine tighten up and your Board will stop bogging down.
By arching in this way, your shoulders will have no more need for you to lift your arms higher. You’ll have more stamina and a buttocks hard as the Stone the Ten Commandments was written on. 4) The first Paddle swipes :
Depending on the Board type, you should be able paddle more, or less, taking into consideration that the goal is to get into the wave after 3 to 5 paddle cycles. The more poorly placed you are the more late you will be.
Make the distinction between the paddling depart and final placement (I’m going to go after the wave at the perfect point) of rowing and the wind up for the drop.
When rowing for the final placement you should be breathing. Force yourself to do it so you don’t enter the wave breathless. If you don’t you will find yourself winded and short of breath during the ride.
In those last Paddle swipes at the wind up, you should feel in your heart that it’s going to happen : you’re being picked up by the wave. If not then concentrate you body weight over you chest by lifting slightly the buttocks and approaching your forehead to the Board, and follow your chin ;)! 5) Use the Pop-Up on the Board :
Certainly the action is done in one movement so as to not break the inertia you gained while paddling. But above all you must Pop-up hard enough to propulse the Board forward. It is the base for you speed gain.
Put your hands flat on the Board. Do not grab the Rails, this will bring a loss of balance and slow down the Board.
Lurch you hips forward as you go upright by a lateral rotation which allows you to get your knees sideways ; Don’t stand up facing forward, that’s not how you ride!!
It’s at this point that you must Pop in order to lighten up the Board and push it forward. If you still have any lumbar disks left ; keep popping until they’re worn out completely!! 6) Have a good stance on the Board :
Put your weight over that leading foot for speed. This means that you need to have your foot in the ‘sweet spot’ in one action. It will be supporting the majority of your weight. You can’t move it without losing your flow.
Your feet should be placed at the longitudinal axis of the Board, this means centered and along the stringer of the Board.
Your back foot should be positioned above the Fins. Boards the back if you need to turn tight and a bit forward if a long bottom turn is coming at you.
Between back and forward we’re talking only 5 cm, in all cases you should be landing on the Tail Pad. 7) The Eye of the Tiger :
You know your feet, don’t waste time starring at them ;).
Your view should stay on the business at hand and the unfurling wave so you can prepare your bottom turn and what comes after next. 8) Think YoYo, be the YoYo :
Not like ‘YO Bro’ when you’re out on the peak, no, no. Imagine while you’re surfing straight down the line like an I, you are in fact like a YoYo at the end of the line spinning for nothing.
A good surfer is the YoYo cord and the Board is the YoYo!! Flex, extension and always in the perfect rhythm so you can accumulate the energy needed and burn it off with your moves. In fact, even with 60L Shortboards so you really have no excuse. Because there is a helpful hint #9 : Surf a Board that makes you better!! And to be better, you need to be on at least two waves an hour ;), so if you my friend are lacking volume, question yourself. Advisor : Patrice Guénolé et GONG Surfboards. Source : Team GONG Staff, good tips for surfing.
Tags : how to, surf, surfing, take-off, gongsurfshop.com.